Track for track laying wheels



All-g. 15, 1933. 1 KUCHAR TRACK FOIQTRACK LAYING WHEELS 26 ai 2g Filed May 2l, 1952 914210/ ,26; /l 2g I.

Patented Aug. 15, 1933 Joseph Kuchar, Chicago, Ill.,

' Forged-'Irak Co.,

tien of Delaware assigner to lChicago, Ill., a Corpora- ApplicationMay V21, 1932.` Serial No. 612,663

' sfoiaims.' (o1. 30a-1o) This invention relates'to tracks for track laying wheels which are adapted to be laid on the ground so as to support a vehicle, and to be raised continuously `as the vehicle proceeds.

The `invention particularly relates to tracks for such wheels, comprising a series of articulated track elements, adjacent elements being adapted to interengage so as to provide a beam or bridge which is rigid against displacement in one 'direction and which is liexiblewith respectto displacement in the opposite direction.

One' of the objects of the invention is to vide an improved track.`

A further `object of the invention is `vide an improved track element.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved track "and track element of the type described and claimed in my copending applica-.-v tion, Serial No. 575,177, led November 16, 1931. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved track and track element which proto proissimple 'in construction -and economic to asa semble and maintain.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities of `the invention will hereinafter `apepar in the followingdescriptionv of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of the track, partly in section, taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; A j Fig. 2 is aside elevation of a portion of the track, partly in section; taken on the line 2-2 j of Fig. 1;

H Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the link elements, including a truss arm; and

Fig. 4 is aperspective View of the separate truss element.

Referring to the drawing, the improved track 10is` constituted by a number of articulated track elements 11. which are pivotally connected in series so that the same may accommodate them-1 `selves around supporting wheelsin known manner. ment so that they interlock in such a manner that the'track is rigid when subjected to Vload in one direction, that is, the upward direction as viewed in Fig. 2, and isflexible and readily bent in theV otherY direction. The rigidity referred to is im` portant in the lower portion of the track in contact with the ground, this portion acting as an inverted bridge 'and taking the load applied by the Vehicle supportedby the track.

Each track element 11 comprises a shoe plate 12 :which may be formed of forged steel, rolled steel, orother suitable material. Each plate 12 Means are provided upon each track ele is provided with transverse `grousers orV ribs 13. At its forward and rearward edges the plate y12 `is provided with `complementary curved portions which cooperate with complementary elements upon the adjacent shoe plate in the manner shown in Fig. 2. On each side each shoe plate l2 has secured thereto a link'element 14 which will now be described. u g 1 The link element 14 is preferably a forging of the structure and configuration shown in Figs. 1, 2, and particularly 3. The link element 14 is lprovided with bosses, 15 and `16 which are`stag gered transversely in the longitudinal direction so that" the cuter face of the boss` l5 is in substantial longitudinal alignrnentwith the inner face of the boss 16, as will more readily be understood with reference to Fig. 1. The bosses l5 and 16 are connected by an oblique vertical web 17 which carries a lower web or base 18 and anupper web 19. The base 18 is provided on its upper side with bosses 20 4which are provided `with openings 2l` whereby the link element may be secured `to theshoe plate l2 by means of bolts 22. The

upper surface ofthe web 19 isrnachined to provide a flat face 23. The ilatfaces 23 of the aligned link elements provide a track or rail forV the passage of the wheels upon which the track is mounted, which track or rail is laid down in front of the wheels and istakenup after the last` Wheels have passed over it.V f On the inner side of the surface 23 the link element is provided withan integral upwardly extending arm `2a. In elevation this arm is preferably Vsubstantially triangular in shape, as will be seen from Fig. 2. The arm is preferably bent inwardly somewhat which will readily be under stood from Figs. 1 and 3. At its apex each arm 24 is provided with a boss 25. This boss may suitably be located in vertical alignment with therboss 15 of the link element 14 which `carries it, although it may beV displaced forwardly vor rearwardly from that position."` Y

It will beunderstocd that the link element l14, which is securedto the other side of the shoe plate l2,.is exactly similar to that described, but is a mirror image thereof, so that the arms 24 and bosses 25'are located in transverse align# ment. `Each pair of arms I2li is connected by a pin 26 whichhas a drive fitin the bosses 25. The link element `14 is, provided intermediate the bosses `l5 and 16v/ith a boss 27, the inner face of'which is in longitudinal alignment with the yboss 15. j j

Each track element is provided with a truss ele- 1 ment ,28, best'shown in Fig. Ll, which is located between the link elements 14. The truss element 28 is preferably in substantially the form of an obtuse triangle, when viewed in eleva tion as in Fig. 2. At its base it is provided with transverse openings 29 and 36 which are adapted to be placed in alignment with the bosses 15 and 27 of the link elements 14, The truss element 23 is secured in position by means of pins 31 and 32. The pins 31 have a drive t in the bosses 27 and in the openings 30. The pins 32 extend through the bosses 16 of one track element, the bosses l5 of the adjacent track element, and through the opening 29 of the truss element 28 of the last said track element. Each pin 32 has a drive t in the bosses 16 and a working nt in the bosses 15 and in the opening 29 of the truss element 28. Consequently the pins 32 serve as ivots connecting adjacent track elements 11 and providing pivotal movement therebetween.

Atits upper end the truss element' 28 terminates in a head 33 provided with a concave face 34 which is of the same curvature as the pin 26 so that it is adapted to engage the pin 26 of the adjacent track element in the manner shown in Fig. 2. It will readily be understood, from this iigure, that the reaction of the ground acting upwardly upon the shoe plates 12, forces the pins 26 into the recesses 34 of the heads 33 of the truss elements 28, and that this engagement results in the trussing of the track so that it may effective` ly take the load and distribute the same over a large area.

The track is readily assembled, for example, in the iollowing manner. A pin 31 is iorced into an opening 30 ol a truss member 28 so that its end projects equally from either side thereof. A pin 32 is passed into the opening 29 and a pair of link elements 14 are presented to the truss element 28 with the bosses 15 and 27 in alignm ment with the pins 32 and 31. A pin 26 is placed between the bosses 25 and in alignment therewith. The link elements 14 are then pressed inwardly by a suitable press until the bosses 15 and 27 contact with the truss element 28. A further truss element 28, provided with pins 3l and 32, is then located with respect to the assembled portion of the track in the manner shown in Fig. 2, that is, with its head 33 in cooperative engagement with the pin 26 of the assembled portion. A pair of link elements 14 are then pressed to the last said truss element 28 so as to locate their bosses l5 and 2'? in alignment with its pins 32 and 31, and with their bosses 16 in alignment with the pin 32 of the assembled portion of the track. The pin 26 is located in the appropriate position with respect to the bosses 25 and the two last said links are pressed home.

This operation assembles a further portion of the track and, in addition, pivotally secures the two assembled portions together, owing tothe presst which the bosses 16 lhave upon the pins 32. This operation is continued indefinitely until a track of the appropriate length is obtained. The link elements 14 may be secured to the shoe plates 12 at any time after they are pressed into assembled position, that is, the shoe plates'12 may be installed progressively as each track element is assembled, or they may be installed after all other assembly operations have been completed.

In installing the track, it is merely necessary to bring the bosses 15 of one extreme track element within and into alignment with the bosses 16 of the other extreme track element. A pin 32', slightly smaller than the pins 32, is then slipped through the aligned bosses and through the openings 29 in the truss element of the last said track element. The pin 32 may be held in position by suitable means, for example, Cotter pins 35, which pass through openings in the ends of the pin 32 and the bosses 16 at the ends thereof.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the specific details of a preferred embodiment thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A track comprising a plurality of track elements pivotally connected together in series, each track element comprising a shoe, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each of said link elements being provided with an integral truss arm, and a truss element secured to said link elements and adapted to cooperate with the truss arms of an adjacent track element.

2. A track comprising a plurality of track elements pivotally connected together in series. each track element comprising a shoe, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each of said link elements being provided with an integral truss arm, transverse means connecting said truss arms at an elevated point, and a truss element secured to said link elements adapted to cooperate with the transverse means of an adjacent track element.

3. A track comprising a plurality of track elements pivotally connected together in series, each track element comprising a shoe, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each of said link elements being provided with an integral truss arm, a pin having a press iit in each opposed pair of truss arms at an elevated point thereof, and a truss element pinned between said link elements, the rst said pin beingadapted to engage the truss element of the next track element.

4. A track comprising a plurality of track elements pivotally connected together in series, each track element comprising a shoe, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each. of said link ele ments being provided with an integral truss arm, a pin having a press t in said truss arms at an elevated position thereof, and a truss element extending transversely between said link elements and rigidly pinned thereto, said truss element a working nt in the link elements of an adjacent track element connecting said elements in series in pivotal relation, said pins extending through said truss element, and pins having a press t in said link elements and in said truss elements, said pins rigidly securing said truss elements on said track elements.

JOSEPH KUCI-IAR. 

